节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-03-22
难易度:High
关键字:wrestling, opponent, lumber, rigorous, face-off, loincloth
OK. I hope you had a great break, everybody.
Welcome back.
Now lots of people, like models and actors, will lose weight to find success and
stay successful in their careers.
But what about gaining weight?
Would you ever intentionally get fat to do well in your job?
Think about that as we finish up our reading about sumo down on line 16.
(Music).
A Look at Sumo.
Today this battle between lumbering giants in loincloths is Japan's national
sport.
Sumo wrestlers in Japan eat, sleep and breathe sumo.
They live together in a complex called a "stable," which is run by a coach, or
"stable master." The stable master controls when the wrestler sleep,
what they eat and how they train.
Because there are no weight classes or restrictions in sumo, it's important for
the wrestlers to become as big as they can.
They achieve this through carefully planned, high-calorie diets and hours of
rigorous training - sumo wrestlers are as athletic as they are large!
Sumo has gone through a lot of changes.
It has been seen all over Japanese culture, from religion to courts, to
military, and now as entertainment.
Yes. And today this battle between lumbering giants in loincloths is now Japan's
national sport.
Now I would definitely think that they are going to lumber because they are
giant.
These are very large men.
And when you "lumber," that means you move slowly and maybe a little awkwardly,
but definitely still in control.
Yes. And you can see they wear what is called "loincloths" here.
And that is simply a small cloth that you wear around your waist.
You can also see pictures of them wearing these on page 44.
And you can see the way they lumber.
That's right. You can see both of these things on page 44.
Now sumo wrestlers in Japan, they eat, sleep and breathe sumo.
Now when we say "you eat, sleep and breathe something," that means it is
important.
It is the most important thing in your life.
Maybe you eat, sleep and breathe music.
Or you eat, sleep and breathe soccer.
You don't actually eat a soccer ball.
It is something that is so important in your life, you're always thinking about
it, you're focused on it.
You're trying to make it better.
Yeah. You use this phrase to describe something that you're doing all the time.
And you can see how they eat, sleep and breathe sumo:
They live together in a complex called a stable.
Yes. This "stable" would be... a complex is... a couple of buildings, probably
multiple buildings with lots of rooms so they all have a place.
And they call it the stable.
And it's run by a coach who's known as their stable master.
That's right. So their coach is their stable master.
And usually a master is someone who is in control.
And so he controls when they sleep, what they eat and how they train.
Now this is very important.
Their coach is keeping track of all these areas of their lives.
It's easy to think... you see them, they're just big.
You might just assume they're just big, fat wrestlers.
But that's not the case.
No.
Those men are athletic.
They are very well-trained.
They have strict schedules.
And they eat a very specific diet so they can be as strong as they are.
Exactly. And they are able to get as big as they want because there are no
weight classes, and so there are no restrictions in sumo.
And the restriction means... it means you cannot do something.
Now when this says... "no restrictions." That's weight restrictions.
That's not that there's no rules.
There are definitely rules, but they can weigh as much as they want.
So it's important for wrestlers to be as big as they can.
Right, because usually a "weight class" means that there are small sumo
wrestlers or large ones.
But there are no weight classes; they can become as big as they can.
That's right.
Well, let's visit the Information Station.
Bryan, you know sumo wrestlers are big.
That's for sure, Bill.
The average sumo wrestler weighs around 150 kilograms.
My goodness!
Well, to find out how they get so big, let's go to...
Information Station.
So, Bill, what's this large cooking pot for?
It is the secret to how sumo wrestlers gain weight.
Oh. Is it full of French fries?
No, no, no, no, no.
This pot is full of chanko-nabe, the protein-rich stew that sumo wrestlers eat
every day.
Chanko-nabe. Well, it smells good.
What's in it, Bill?
Chicken! The soup is made out of chicken.
But I thought Japanese people love to eat fish, Bill.
They do, they do.
But chicken is used for good luck.
Well, how can a chicken bring good luck?
Think of a sumo match.
You have two large men trying to push each other down or out of the ring, right?
Right.
Well, the winner is the one who's left standing on... two feet, like a chicken.
I get it now.
But why not pork or beef?
Oh. Pigs and cows have four legs.
And that is how the loser looks at the end of the match.
Oh, right. He's down on all fours.
But Bill, it's not just good luck that helps a wrestler win, is it?
Oh, of course not.
It's the wrestler's size and strength that make all the difference.
So eat lots of chanko-nabe, and we'll see you next time here on...
Information Station.
All right. So these sumo wrestlers want to become as big as they can.
And they achieve this through carefully planned, high-calorie diets and hours of
rigorous training.
That's right.
They eat specific foods to help them build muscles and train with "rigorous"
hours.
That means very strict, very hard, very strenuous.
So they keep going and going and going to make it better.
Yeah, so they train very hard.
And so now we see sumo wrestlers are definitely as athletic as they are large.
That's right.
They are very large, they are also very athletic.
They're not out of shape.
They are strong men.
OK. Well, we've learned a lot about sumo, a sport that Japan takes very
seriously.
Now though, let's take a look at the skit.
Son, what are you doing with all this food?
I want to gain weight, so I'm eating more.
You have enough food here for ten people.
Well, that's because I want to be a sumo wrestler.
And size matters.
A sumo wrestler?
Yes. Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling.
And when it comes to sumo, bigger is better.
Why is bigger better?
Well, when challengers face off, one tries to knock his opponent off his feet or
push him out of the ring.
So big is better for this crazy new sport?
Sumo isn't new, Dad.
It dates back over 1,500 years.
It's Japan's national sport.
It sounds like a rough style of fighting.
It started out that way.
But now sumo has lots of rules and regulations.
Hmm. Well, don't eat too much.
You'll become a lumbering giant and you won't fit into your uniform.
No problem, Dad.
My uniform is extra large.
See?
See what?
I don't see a uniform!
It's right here.
Sumo wrestlers wear a loincloth.
But... but it's so tiny.
All right. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a day of rigorous training ahead.
Rigorous training?
Yes. But first, I'm going to finish my cereal and eggs and toast and burgers and
soda.
And there is a fish and... ooh, this pineappel, and there's a pie and banana and
fish...
It's so small.
Hi, everyoen. I'm Michelle.
(Chinese).
And we're running out of time again.
I'll see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.
Thank you again, Michelle.
We appreciate those tips.
Now sumo wrestling is a short but intense wrestling match between two very large
men.
Sumo wrestlers become big by eating high-calorie diets.
It's not uncommon for sumo wrestlers to get as big as 180 kilograms.
One sumo wrestler from Hawaii tipped the scales at 270 kilograms.
That's like three of me in one body. Yuh.
OK, friends.
Be sure to speak a little English today, and then join us tomorrow when we talk
about adoption.
Until then, I and everyone else here at Studio Classroom hope you have a great
Thursday.